Over the past 20+ years a select group of researchers have collected
and organized a vast amount of genealogical records for families in
the US carrying the surname ELDER. We now want to carry our research
efforts to the next level and branch out into a more scientific approach
using the Y-chromosome DNA testing.

A few months ago Nancy Elder Petersen began a DNA project on James
Elder descendants that really peeked my interest. One of the
largest groups of ELDER progeny is a Pennsylvania line we often call
the "Paxtang Group" with the oldest known ancestor ROBERT
ELDER d. 1746 Paxtang Twp, Dauphin Co, PA. But even with all of the
research that has been done over the years this lineage still relatively
disjointed and connecting to it can be extrememly difficult! Currently
we have 3 male participants in the study from a Pennsylvania ELDER
line that connects with JOHN ELDER family of Wood County Ohio. With
this line of the study we are attempting to connect the progeny of
JAMES ELDER (1712-1818) of Franklin County PA (his dates verified
by Sons of the American Revolution). It is believed the father of
James is ROBERT ELDER, b. 1679 Scotland, d. 1746 Paxtang Twp, Dauphin
Co PA. For more information on this particular line go to Nancy Elder
Petersen's site at:

I have read about DNA studies for genealogical purposes but didn't
realize a company had been set up to gear specifically to genealogy
nuts like us. The FamilyTreeDNA.COM site
does just that.

I checked out the site and a couple surnames I am familiar with that
are somewhat similar to the ELDER genealogies. One specifically was
of interest. Christine Rose has done a study over the years of the
various ROSE surname families. She started this DNA project over a
year ago and has almost 150 participants.

The test results from this ROSE STUDY were to put it mildly amazing!
You can read about it here (where they have a synopsis of the study
results).

I think this offers Elder researchers a very unique opportunity. I
firmly believe a study such as this, with enough participation, will
help people connect to their proper lines much more easily and ultimately
save time, energy and $$ tracing an incorrect ancestral line.

Nancy and I have agreed to expand the study to include all ELDER surname
lines. We will co-manage the study and I will be posting the test results
to our ELDER site click here.

We welcome any male worldwide with the surname ELDER to participate
in the Y-Chromosome DNA project. In order to participate in the Y-Chromosome
DNA study (with 12 markers) the participant should be a male with the
surname ELDER. In simple terms, these genetic markers are passed from
male to male in successive generations. If you are a female researcher
with a close male relative still carrying the surname ELDER we encourage
you to request their participation

Our ultimate goal is to define the various ELDER immigrants to America
and their progeny by using Y-chromosome DNA testing. (and that a year
from now we'll have a study similar to the ROSE lines)

Objectives:

1) To determine whether the surname ELDER has one or several origins
and ultimately where the ancestral line(s) began (Ireland, Scotland
and England).

3) To recruit ELDER males from Ireland, Scotland and England (for
now) in an attempt to pinpoint origins of American ELDER lines.

4) To make the results of the testing available to researchers on
our web site. (Individual test results will only be posted with permission
of the subject!)

Why should you participate?

If you're a new researcher this study will help you save time, energy
and $$ by being able to link to a particular line easily and scientifically.
If you're like the rest of us and have spent hundreds if not thousands
of $$ doing research over the years only to hit the proverbial brick
wall finding a link through this study will help prove your lineage.

Ultimately I believe, once we have enough participants, that many
of these ELDER lines previously thought unconnected will connect through
DNA markers.
We have just started this study so it will take some time to gather up the
clan. But if you think you'd like to participate but you're not sure if we
have anyone that is possibly from your anticipated line, let Nancy or I know
and we'll try to find another person to test with.

A discussion of the various testing services FamilyTreeDNA
offers is here:

Participation decisions are completely up to the participant. You
can join and choose not to disclose the results of your test to anyone
besides yourself. Or you can choose to just disclose the DNA data with
no identifying information about yourself. Privacy is very important
to me and to this company! So quite simply your participation level
is your choice.

If you think you might be interested in participating I encourage
you to read more about it at the above links And please contact Donna
or Nancy Petersen and
we will give you the information on our group discounted prices and
where to go for more information.